The European Space Agency will be recruiting a new class of astronauts. I joined a group of like-minded hopefuls because it encouraged applicants from a broader range of genders, ages and ethnicities. There were 23,000 people who applied. To get on the longlist, you had to have at least one degree in science that was at master's level or higher. They seem to like people who are outdoorsy, a bit sporty, good in teams and able to put up with a lot of discomfort, so we guess they are looking for someone who is outdoorsy, a bit sporty, good in teams and able to put up with a lot of uncomfortable
They preferred people who had an operational experience, which meant making real decisions with some skin in the game. I made the longlist of 17,000 applicants and the smaller group of 1,500 who made it to the next stage. We did a lot of classroom tests and video games. When I was a kid, I bashed away on an Atari 2600. Some of the competitors in the room were oceanographers, particle physicists, military test pilots, and the like.
I was shocked to get a call for the next round of selection, given the caliber of my fellow applicants. 400 of us left We all wondered who would walk on the moon as I mingled with the other candidates. You were put on your back foot from the start of the test. In groups, lengthy interrogations, psychological evaluations and parlour games followed. We were all shook and stirred.
Testing took place in Toulouse. When I opened the invitation, I shrieked loudly. The final score is now down to the last one. We checked into a hospital at the medical evaluation centre. The examination was thorough and detailed. I noticed a brief run of abnormal beats as I was on the treadmill. They were noticed by the testing team. We looked into each other's eyes.
This part of the selection process is not understood by many people. They aren't looking for superheros. The tests are designed to make sure that you don't have a major medical event in the next 15 years, which would prevent Esa from cashing in on its investment. A clean bill of health was the most important thing. This was where things began to get dangerous and where I began to let hope rise. My children got a little bit excited. There was a run of abnormal heartbeats that I knew could do me in.
An athlete from the UK is in the latest group of astronauts.
People got the chop one day in September. There is a scene in The Matrix where the bad guy goes around unplugging Neo's crewmates as anywayanydayd by email one by one. I was hoping that I could sneak through. I received an email around midday thanking me for taking part but telling me that I wouldn't go further in the process. The game is done.
Since I was five years old, I applied for and was interviewed for a job. I had gotten past the tests. I dropped from 23,000 hopefuls to the final 92. My helmet was in the basket when the axe came down. It was difficult to fall out of after 18 months. I pursued a career in medicine and science because of my pursuit of the stars. I still get to fly as a doctor with a helicopter emergency medical service in the south-eastern part of the country even though I was the national clinical adviser to the emergency preparedness team. We do good work even though it is 17,000 mph slower than I would have liked. It's almost as good as the prize of being anastrologer.
There is a happy ending to this story. The Esa said it intended to put diversity at the center of the selection. But that commitment wasn't complete. There is a lack of ethnic diversity in the new class of astronauts. Human space exploration has shown us that there may be a future in which everyone is welcome. New generations are encouraged to take on the impossible in search of the stars and leave them in destinations as wonderful as possible. For me, it did that.
It is sad that a new generation of European children will not see themselves reflected in the class. There is no easy way to get from the Earth to the stars. I hope that they will stay undeterred and that this will embolden them.
A professor at University College London Hospitals, Dr. Kevin Fong is an anaesthesiologist.
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